Angel with a Shotgun
by momocandy
Summary: When Natsu, Wendy, and Gajeel found the girl half-dead on the street, of course they couldn't just leave her alone. So they brought her back to the guild. Not knowing that she was being pursued. Not knowing that she was the catalyst for destruction. And before they knew it, Fairy Tail was looking doomsday right in the eye. NaLu with other pairings.
1. Chapter 1

**I actually had this story down for quite a while on a Word Document, and then I stupidly realized, hey, I could put this on Fanfiction!**

**So, I guess this'll be my debut into the Fairy Tail fandom!**

**I apologize for the cliched story name though, I was listening to the song (with a fairy tail amv ;)) while I was typing this and it just stuck, haha...brilliant song, by the way.**

**Anyways, happy reading!**

**Disclaimer: I will not even dare to affiliate myself with the almighty Hiro Mashima.**

* * *

**Chapter 1 - The Day I Met You**

**XXX**

Lucy flattened herself against the wall as a bullet whizzed past her cheek. She was breathing heavily, blood seeping from a deep cut above her brow and blinding her left eye. There was a pistol in her hand. She loaded the barrel and cocked it next to her ear, muscles tense. Rain pitter pattered on the gray cobblestones, alternating with her heartbeat. For a few long moments, that was the only sound she heard.

Then Lucy jumped out and fired rapidly, grinding her teeth as pain shot up her injured arm from the backlash. She heard gunshots from the other side, hitting dangerously close to where she stood, but she didn't move. There were multiple shouts of agony. The bullets kept coming. One grazed her right leg and she stumbled, but she didn't stop firing. Finally, the cries ceased and the last man fell. Lucy's chest heaved as she slumped against the wall, her face lifted towards the sky, too exhausted to mind the icy rain stinging her raw and bloody wounds.

But she couldn't stop.

She had to keep moving.

Groaning, she pushed herself off the wall and slowly limped away, the pistol slipping from her hand as her fingers fell slack. It clattered to the ground next to a trail of blood that promptly washed away in the rain.

* * *

Natsu frowned as the rain came down in larger torrents. The forecast never said anything about this. Those liars. He put his head on the table dejectedly and sighed a very un-Natsu-like sigh. Wendy, who was sitting across from him, raised her eyebrows.

"I've never seen Natsu-san like this before."

"The punk's always like this on rainy days," Gajeel, next to her, grumbled. "Think it screws around with his fire magic or something."

"Well, that's makes sense," Wendy nodded.

The three were currently in the midst of a dragon slayer outing at the ramen shop a few streets away from the guild. Wendy had proposed it as a way to get closer to each other, being dragon slayers and all, and Gajeel, the only one who refused at first, eventually gave in to the sweet little girl's innocent intentions. Wendy had never fathomed that Natsu's depression would be a hindrance to this get-together, and now she could only smile sympathetically as she watched the salmon-haired boy sigh yet again amidst the sound of the pouring rain.

Suddenly, there was a series of sharp gunshots and the three dragon slayers jumped in their chairs, Gajeel and Natsu hitting their knees painfully against the bottom of the table. The gunshots continued for a few moments, then stopped. The three of them exchanged alarmed glances, and then Wendy and Gajeel looked at Natsu. Obviously they wanted to check out what had happened, but that would mean running out into the rain, and with Natsu's handicap that would be quite the struggle.

But Natsu just shrugged at their questioning stares. His curiosity clearly trumped his sluggishness.

"C'mon, lets go!"

* * *

The three mages used their keen dragon noses to follow the scent of gunpowder down the empty streets of Fiore. But what disturbed them the most was the much stronger scent of blood that mingled with it.

Finally they turned into a wide alleyway, the cement sidewalk breaking to cobblestone. And there, crumbled on the ground, was the body of a girl, brutally battered and unconscious. What would have been beautiful golden hair was streaked with dirt and grime and blood. Her face was caked with mud and stained red on the left side; her clothes were ragged and just as filthy.

Wendy gasped in horror and a hand flew to her mouth. Natsu and Gajeel were shocked as well, but they quickly stepped over to the girl, cringing as the repugnant smell of blood filled their sensitive nostrils. Natsu located the girl's wrist and checked her pulse. For a terrifying second he felt nothing, but then it was there, soft and faint but still beating.

"We need to bring her back to the guild," Wendy came over, un-petrified and suddenly down-to-business. "She needs immediate medical attention, or she'll die."

Natsu nodded and carefully lifted the girl, cradling her head and waist, trying not to shake any possibly broken bones. The three then made haste back to the guild. Natsu no longer noticed the rain.

* * *

Lucy didn't remember when she fell.

All she knew was that one moment she was still standing, and the next moment her face was pressed against the cold, hard cobblestones. But she didn't have the energy to pick herself up or the consciousness to think straight. All she wanted to do was lay there and sleep. The feeling of the frigid rain on her bare skin no longer registered in her head. She was slipping away, slipping into darkness.

And then there was a sudden fiery touch on her wrist, and she was in the air, her head against something warm and comforting. She instinctively snuggled closer to the heat and let out a little sigh. She couldn't quite grasp what was happening, but for the first time in a long time, she felt safe and protected.

She vaguely wondered why.

* * *

Lucy awoke to loud bustling and chattering.

"Oh my god, what happened to that girl?"

"Is she ok? Is she alive?"

"Where did she come from?"

"That's horrible!"

"Who would do such a thing?"

Her eyelids felt heavy, almost as if they were glued together. She tried moving her arm, but only received agonizing pain.

"Wait, guys, please be quiet, I think she's regained consciousness!" A young girl's voice rang out next to her.

The buzzing immediately hushed down to whispers.

"Can you hear me, miss? Are you awake?" Lucy heard the girl speak gently as something soft and damp was pressed against her cheek. A towel.

She tried to nod her head, but wasn't sure if she actually succeeded in doing so. The message apparently got across because the girl continued talking.

"We found you on the streets and brought you back to our guild. Your condition is pretty bad, but I can fix that."

The voice became too distant for Lucy to actually discern any words, but then she felt a sudden soothing warmth on her body. She didn't know exactly what was happening, but it was just like a blanket, lightly enclosing her in a protective cocoon. Her pain decreased considerably, and at the same time she felt incredibly sleepy. Before long, her consciousness left her once again.

* * *

The next time Lucy was awakened by a delicious aroma of roast chicken and baked bread. She breathed in the wonderful smell and her stomach grumbled loudly, reminding her that she had not eaten a proper meal in three days. She opened her eyes, squinting at first due to the brightness, then slowly rose from the cushions she had been laying on, surprised that her body only ached dully after all the injuries she had suffered.

"Guys, look, she's awake!" A girl's voice shouted excitedly.

Lucy looked up and suddenly found herself facing dozens of people. She had been lying on a booth at a table, and there were more tables all around, along with a bar to her right. Was she at a tavern or something?

"Are you alright? Do you feel better?" A girl with long blue pigtails came up to her.

Lucy recognized her as the one who had spoken to her before. She looked down at her wounds, only to find that there were none. Her eyes widened. She felt her brow. Nothing.

The blue-pigtailed girl giggled. "I healed you already. I have healing magic. My name is Wendy, what's yours?"

Lucy just stared at her and said nothing. It's not that she was surprised at the magic—she was a mage herself actually—or that she hadn't processed the question, but just that she knew better than to give her name to someone she had just met.

In her current situation it was best to stay mute.

"Now, now, give her some space, Wendy, she's probably overwhelmed," a short, old man pushed his way to the front of the crowd. "Why don't we let her take a nice long shower first before we ask any questions?"

Blue pigtails, apparently named Wendy, gasped and backed away.

"You're right, master!" Then to Lucy, "I'm so sorry!"

Lucy just shook her head and tried for a smile. It came out more strained than she had wanted it to be.

A red-haired woman offered to escort her to the washroom. She seemed to have some sort of authority in this place, seeing as how people parted respectfully for her as she came forward. As they were climbing the steps to the second floor, Lucy just stared at the armor that covered the upper half of the woman's body. At first glance she seemed quite intimidating, but when she turned around, Lucy saw the kindness in her chestnut eyes.

"You can change into these when you're done," the woman handed her some folded clothes. "They're mine, but I think they should fit. You look about the same size as me."

Lucy just nodded and muttered a quiet "Thank you."

The shower was definitely something Lucy needed.

She washed all the grime and blood out of her hair and scrubbed her skin until it was sparkling clean. It had been a while since Lucy had felt so refreshed. The clothes that the red-haired woman had left her were a perfect fit too, beige shorts and a skinny, white V-neck.

She inspected herself in the mirror and was amazed at the flawless job that Wendy had done healing her. Lucy knew about all sorts healing drugs and potions, having taken some herself, but she'd never met a mage with healing powers before.

She made a note to thank the young girl later.

After blow-drying her hair and combing it down, she grabbed her old clothes and descended down stairs to the main floor. She was honestly extremely grateful for what these people had done for her, but in the end, she had to leave. She couldn't stay in one place for too long.

All the mages of Fairy Tail froze as the newcomer came down the stairs.

She had been so grimy and dirty before that they hadn't been able to properly see her face, but now that she had cleaned up, they noticed just how beautiful she was. Her long golden hair flowed over smooth, pale skin, framing a pair of striking amber eyes—she looked almost like an angel.

Natsu found himself staring even though he had a fire chicken kebab right in front of him, and he never looked away from his fire chicken kebabs. She just gave off an aura that attracted people.

When she reached the main level the girl came to the center of the room and bowed.

"I'm sorry for being a burden, but I'll be taking my leave now. Thank you very much for everything you've done."

And with that she turned around and headed out the guild doors. Between being captivated by her beauty and being stunned by her sudden farewell, nobody was in the right mind to go and stop her. The doors shut with a click, deafening amidst the dead silence of the guild.

"Wait, did she just leave?" Natsu gasped, coming to his senses.

"Woah, but she was so pretty," Wendy put her hands on her cheeks. "That surprised me."

"It's quite late though," Erza remarked, glancing at the clock. "Will she be alright?"

Natsu shot up, knocking down his chair with a loud clunk.

"Like _hell_ I'm gonna just let her leave like that!"

Burning with his usual fiery spirit, he charged through the guild doors.

Erza crossed her arms and sighed. That boy really couldn't leave anybody alone. She knew that under his rowdy, destructive image he had a kind and caring heart, and she herself had experienced its warmth many times before. Now she had a feeling that someone else needed it much more.

The rest of the guild watched in silence as Erza headed calmly toward the doors.

* * *

Once Natsu saw the girl's golden blonde head, he immediately started shouting.

"Hey blondie!"

The girl halted in her steps.

"You can't just come here half-dead and leave without an explanation!"

The girl turned around and her amber eyes were hard and cold, in startling contrast to the polite demeanor she had had just moments before.

"It's none of your business. Please don't follow me."

Natsu peered at her suspiciously from afar.

"You seem different…did something happen?"

"No," was her blunt response.

He peered some more.

"Well anyways, at least tell me why you were all beaten up."

The girl glared at him.

"Haven't you ever heard of privacy?"

"Well, if someone in Fiore did this to you then it's my business too. Cuz I'm a Fairy Tail mage."

The girl scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"Like I care. That's stupid."

"W_hat_?"

She sighed in exasperation.

"Look, they have nothing to do with this town, but they will soon if I don't leave_ now_. The longer I stay here, the more dangerous it's gonna be."

Natsu furrowed his brows in confusion.

"I don't get what you're saying. Who's _they_?"

The girl glared at him some more.

"Do you really think she's going to answer that?" Erza took the words right out of her mouth, suddenly walking up behind Natsu.

"Erza!" Natsu exclaimed, backing away out of habit from the intimidating female mage.

Erza moved toward the blonde girl, never breaking eye contact with her.

"Look, I don't know who you are or what circumstances you're in right now, but we aren't going to just let a girl who was half dead just a few hours ago roam the streets at night, alone."

"Well, unfortunately, that's not something for you to decide," the girl snapped before swiveling on her heel and sprinting off.

"Hey, wait—" Natsu reached out to grab her arm but was pulled back by Erza. He struggled in her grip.

"Erza, let go of me I could've gotten her!"

"Let me take care of this," she replied. "She's not someone you should deal with."

"Huh?"

Erza ran after the girl, catching up easily in a few seconds and grabbing a hold of her arm.

The girl tried unsuccessfully to yank free and whipped around, her amber eyes fierce.

"Listen, I don't think you guys understand. I. Cannot. Stay. I don't know why you're making this so hard for me when you don't even know me, but if you don't let me go, things are gonna get nasty."

Erza arched an eyebrow.

"Is that a challenge?"

The girl shrugged, but a smirk tugged at her lips.

"It might be."

Then she lunged forward and punched the just-caught-up Natsu in the stomach, effectively reducing him to him knees.

"Hey…not fair…owww!"

She ignored him and pulled a roundhouse kick at Erza, but Erza dodged grabbed her leg, flipping her over and pinning her to the ground.

"You might be able to get that idiot, but you can't get me," she returned with a smirk.

The girl snarled and tried to wriggle free, but she had underestimated how weak she had become from her wounds and couldn't break Erza's stone hard grip. She was thus dragged back to the guild yelling.

* * *

Lucy was very disappointed in herself.

Not only had she been literally beaten in two seconds flat by another female mage, but she had also failed to leave the place immediately as she had planned and was now stuck here, endangering not only herself but all of these people. Since things turned out like this, it would've been better if she had just escaped after the shower.

But then again, she'd never expected the people here to make such a big fuss over a complete stranger.

Now she found herself with her hands tied behind her back, glaring into the obsidian eyes of the funny-looking pink-haired guy who she had previously socked in the stomach.

And who had also apparently carried her to this place when she was all bloody and dirty and dying.

Lucy hated to think that she was indebted to him. She learned that his name was Natsu after hearing it countless times from the mouths of the other guild members. She also learned that she was in a mage guild named Fairy Tail, and that the female mage that had immobilized her so easily was Erza Scarlet, famed for being one of the strongest mages of all time.

That still didn't excuse how she had been beaten in less than five seconds.

Lucy made a mental note to resume her training ASAP after she got out of this mess.

"So you really won't tell us anything?" the old man—Master Makarov, they called him—crossed his arms and sighed.

"I'm glad you understand," Lucy replied stubbornly.

"Not even your name?" Wendy pouted, her blue pigtails swishing.

"How many times do I have to say _no_?" Lucy huffed.

Lucy remembered that she was indebted to this little girl too. For healing her wounds and saving her life. And she was also technically indebted to Erza for the clothes. Dammit. This is why she normally didn't accept favors.

"Are you people satisfied now?" She asked loudly. "Can I please go?"

"Why the rush?" Master Makarov shrugged. "At least stay for dinner."

Oh, there were plenty of reasons why Lucy had to rush, like, for example, wanting to stay alive…

…but at the same time, dinner sounded pretty good. Her stomach was literally caving in from lack of nutrition. And that roast chicken and bread was horribly tempting.

"…fine. But just dinner, and then I'm out."

Deep down in the dark recesses of her mind there was a voice telling her that she would definitely regret staying. But at that moment, Lucy could only think of stuffing herself full with delicious food.

She really needed to learn how to get her priorities straight.

* * *

Lucy shifted uncomfortably as she speared some lettuce and raised it to her mouth. She tried to ignore the fiery gaze of the boy crouching on the bench next to her. Natsu had been staring at her intently ever since she had sat down to eat, and it was starting to get annoying.

"Can't you just tell us your first name?" he finally said.

"No," Lucy affirmed as she bit into her bread.

"Not even the first letter of your first name?" he questioned again.

"No," Lucy repeated.

"Why not?"

"Because no."

"What about the first letter of your_ last _name?"

"FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, NO," Lucy stabbed a piece of chicken with her fork and flung it at his face, hitting him right between the eyes.

"Ack!"

"Natsu, stop bothering her," Erza ordered.

"But—she—" Natsu sputtered, motioning to the stain on his face.

"That's not how you treat girls, dude," a shirtless, black-haired mage sitting across the table snickered. This was Gray, who Lucy observed seemed to have some sort of rivalry with Natsu.

Also a stripping fetish.

She decided not to question it.

"Shut up, ice bastard," Natsu scowled.

"You wanna go, flame ass?" Gray smirked.

Their hands started to glow and Lucy observed silently from the side, somewhat anticipating their magic.

And then there was a huge explosion at the front of the guild and Lucy instinctively shot up. Natsu and Gray immediately forgot about their match and craned their necks to see what happened.

Lucy's nose instantly caught the all-too-familiar smell of death and blood.

Shit.

How were they already here?

Adrenaline coursed through her veins as she sprinted to the front of the room and spread out her arms.

"Everyone, get behind me, NOW!"

* * *

**And that concludes the first chapter!**

**I do realize this whole Lucy being strong thing is getting reaaalllly repetitive, but it's always tempting to make her more interesting in the fanfics since she is sometimes so frustratingly useless in the anime/manga ( if you know what I mean...)**

**Please tell me what you think about this story! Reviews and critiques are always appreciated! And no sugarcoating—I want to do whatever I can to improve!**

**Thanks a bunch!**

**-momocandy XD**

**P.S. ****As for those readers who are currently mad that I posted a new story RIGHT AFTER I gave that long speech about priorities and update speed and stuff, I've already had this story written for quite a while and I also wanted to try something new for a change, so I hope you can forgive me. But I understand if you are still mad because this is irresponsible of me as a writer. I will definitely strive to update my other stories before summer break is over!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 is out!**

**This is basically where I had typed up to on Word, so the next update might take a bit longer because I wanna update my others fanfics first :P**

**Happy Reading!**

**Disclaimer: When Erza stops loving strawberry shortcake.**

* * *

Lucy could only focus on protecting all of the guild members as she muttered one of her strongest defensive spells. In response, a huge transparent wall of magic erected itself between her and the other mages. Even though she knew that they probably had the ability and power to fight for themselves, there was no way she was going to get them involved in a fight that wasn't theirs.

Then she turned around and smiled begrudgingly at the tall, cloaked man that stood before her. His black hood covered his face so that you could only see darkness beneath the fabric.

"That was quick."

"Your scent isn't very hard to follow, Lucy," a chilling, raspy voice replied. "The trail is as bright as day, especially when you decide to stay in one place for so long. After a whole year, I thought you knew better than that, tsk tsk."

"Are you going to try to kill me again, you perverted scumbag?" Lucy had her hands poised, ready to summon a weapon at the slightest twitch of the man's finger.

"Oh my, has my goal ever changed?" The man gave a dry laugh. "We still need that golden head of yours to adorn the Master's altar. You're a rare specimen, you see. One of the last celestial mages in the world. It's a vital asset to his reincarnation."

"Reincarnation, my ass," Lucy growled. "It's already been a year and you still haven't caught me. That isn't going to change either, dumbass."

"Oh, but we were so close last time, weren't we?" the man whispered. "Except that you were lucky enough to find some, ah..." He eyes flickered to the mages behind her. "..._bugs_ to cling onto."

Lucy's clenched her jaw.

"Don't touch them. They're not involved. This is between _me_ and _you_."

"What is this, the Fairy Tail guild?" the cloaked man continued. "Pfft, what a _ridiculous_ name. Looks like I have more prey—"

"WHHAATT?"

He was interrupted mid-sentence by a sudden roar. Lucy turned around to see Natsu pounding on the magic barrier, his body ablaze, his eyes red and angry.

"What did you say? Fairy Tail—_ridiculous_? Lemme outta here Lucy, I gotta kick some ass!"

Lucy narrowed her eyes and replied with a blatant, "No."

Natsu was taken aback.

"Wait, why?"

"This is my fight—I won't let you interfere," she scowled at him.

"C'mon, you'll be stronger with two people!"

"Just shut up and watch," she snapped.

"It's not wise to have your back turned toward the enemy," the cloaked man sneered, and in the blink of an eye he disappeared and materialized in the air above Lucy with a giant axe raised above his head.

"Lucy, watch out!" Erza shouted.

But the blonde had expected this much.

She swung around as a magic circle appeared in her palm and pulled a huge sword out of thin air. Metal and metal clashed in an electrifying collision.

"Ooh, very nice," the man commented in a delighted tone.

"Where's those stupid shadow things you always have with you?" Lucy growled.

The man jumped away and struck again. Lucy once more blocked effectively with her sword.

"Or are you actually going to fight me by yourself this time?" She gritted her teeth as she held her ground steadfastly under the axe's weight.

"So impatient, little girl," the cloaked man snickered, and Lucy flinched as she saw a streak of black from the corner of her eye. She jumped up just as a shadow came rushing from the ground to grab her foot and landed heavily on the floor a few feet away.

Dammit, she had spoke too soon.

Five black shadows materialized behind the cloak man. They were indestructible minions that could take any shape and wield any weapon. They also had the special ability of being able to control the bodies of those that were once alive. The man himself wasn't much of a threat—it was these guys that did all the work.

Earlier today they had possessed the bodies of dead army men and used the skill imprinted into those bodies to try to shoot her down. Luckily their master had been quite far away at the time, so they couldn't re-form as quickly as they usually could after their host was immobilized. Now, with the cloaked man right here, she couldn't even hope of stopping them.

Lucy's fingers tightened on her sword as she tried to think of a strategy.

Normally she fought in deserted areas where she didn't have to care about anybody but herself.

Normally she could battle recklessly and not worry about the subsequent destruction.

But today…

She glanced at all the people watching her anxiously behind the magic wall. She saw Natsu and Erza, looking both surprised and angry.

Today she had a heavy burden.

She couldn't go on a rampage without wrecking the guild.

She couldn't just leave because she was the only one who could disintegrate the barrier, but at the same time she couldn't release it now because she couldn't assure the other mages' safety.

And she also had a feeling Natsu would do something rash as soon as she set him free.

So there was really nothing she could do.

"You seem to be thinking quite hard," the cloaked man observed amusedly as he charged toward her. "Are you in a dilemma?"

Lucy dodged his axe and slashed apart two shadows, which merged together again behind her.

As much as she didn't want to admit it, he was right. She _was_ in a bad situation right now.

A magic circle glowed on her palm and she pulled out a second sword.

Well, she definitely wasn't going down without a fight.

With a menacing growl, she lunged at the cloaked man and whirled around, striking him across the chest. He dodged and swiped at her right. His axe was blocked by one sword while she slashed apart three shadows on her left with the other.

Lucy had faith in her instincts and her skills, but she was gradually getting overwhelmed.

Jab to the left. Dodge. Slash.

Feint. Slash. Duck.

She had too little room to move around, and while fatigue didn't burden the cloaked man or the shadows, she was, in the end, only human.

A strong blow across the legs brought her to her knees. She jabbed one sword into the floorboards and leaned on it, breathing heavily.

Well, this was it.

She was a goner.

The cloaked man raised his axe above her head like an executioner and Lucy just glared at him, waiting for the blow.

A whole year of running away, and this is what it comes to.

Jeez, she never should've stayed for dinner.

And then all of sudden the man was flattened under a gigantic fist. His axe clattered to the floor.

Lucy blinked in surprise. She looked behind the fist to see Master Makarov standing there quite nonchalantly.

"Mister, do consider that we just spent hours healing up this girl right here. I would appreciate it if you didn't kill her just yet."

The cloaked man couldn't speak as he was still crushed into the ground. Even though he was technically immortal, Lucy could tell he suffered a great deal of damage. He would definitely need time to recover.

A few seconds later, just as she had expected, his body dissipated into black smoke, taking the shadows and the axe with him.

For a few seconds Lucy couldn't do anything but stare.

Then she breathed a huge sigh of relief and put a hand over her pulsing heart.

Thank the lords, she was still alive. This wasn't over yet.

Then she caught herself as she realized that she was once again indebted to this guild for saving her life. And she kind of had a lot to explain as well, now that they had pretty much witnessed everything.

She eyed Master Makarov warily. Master Makarov only chuckled when he saw her suspicious gaze.

"Why don't you take away this barrier first?" he nodded toward the magical wall.

Lucy blinked and realized for the first time that the old man was, somehow, _not_ behind her magic barrier.

"Uh, how did you—? I mean, the barrier…?"

"How can I call myself the master of a guild if I can't even pass through a simple barrier?" Master Makarov winked.

Lucy raised her eyebrows. This old man was much stronger than he let on. Nobody had ever been able to break through her barriers before.

She let her swords disintegrate and slowly raised her hand and muttered the counterspell. The wall flaked away in sparkles and she felt the stares of dozens of pairs of eyes.

Oh boy...

And then there was huge surge of people toward her and Lucy found herself being surrounded on all sides, slapped on the back by multiple hands and praised by even more mouths.

"That was crazy awesome!"

"I didn't know you were such a powerful mage!"

"You're so strong!"

"I wish I could be like you!"

She didn't quite know how to take it all in.

Master Makarov cleared his throat and everybody quieted down.

"Well, _Lucy,_" He approached her, and Lucy noticed how he stressed the fact that he knew her name. "Why don't you take a seat and finish your dinner? We'll be having a long discussion tonight."

Lucy just sighed. The inevitable had come.

"Alright, alright, don't push it, old man, I won't try to run away."

The Master chuckled again and there was a twinkle in his eye.

"But first…"

Lucy watched as he extended a hand toward her.

"…first, Lucy, would you like to join Fairy Tail?"

* * *

Lucy stared at Master Makarov's hand and then looked up at him incomprehensively.

"Excuse me?"

She wasn't sure if she had heard correctly.

"Would you like to join Fairy Tail?" Master Makarov repeated, unfaltering. "You are a strong mage, Lucy. This guild needs people like you."

"Really now?" she coughed, arching an eyebrow. "I don't think so, old man. Did you see what just happened? I don't think you want that happening in your guild every single day."

"_I_ think it's already too late for that," Master Makarov responded with a smile. "Even I wouldn't leave another guild alone if its guild master came and squished me into a pancake. Therefore, you might as well stay and fight against them in a guild rather than as a single person."

Lucy fell quiet as she contemplated this. Her fingers fumbled busily with a loose thread on the hem of her shirt.

"But...in the end, this is my personal problem…I don't want—"

"Agh, you're so annoying," Natsu complained loudly. "Always going like 'It's my own problems and privacy and stuff—do you really think I give a crap? In the end I'm waaay stronger than you so you should be grateful that we're offering help."

Lucy was offended.

"First, I really doubt that you are waaay stronger than me, and second, I'm just trying to do what's best for you guys," she huffed.

"That's where you don't have to worry," Master Makarov cut in. "We always get ourselves into trouble anyways—this is practically nothing compared to everything else this guild has been through."

"And to prove that you're stronger than me you have to fight me. And to do that you have to join the guild." Natsu crossed his arms, looking smug.

Lucy just glared at him.

This brat…

"Besides, you've been chased for over a year now, right?" Master Makarov asked, recalling what the cloaked man had said.

Lucy nodded.

"Well, it doesn't look like you've gotten anywhere, so why don't you try something new for a change?" He tilted his head towards his still outstretched hand.

"Join us, Lucy. We'll help you fight."

Lucy bit her lip uncertainly. She slowly moved her hand towards the Master's beckoning fingers.

Was this the right choice?

Was she making the correct decision to involve others, to depend on others?

"_And_ they called us ridiculous!" Natsu suddenly remembered, somewhat startling her. "Just thinking about it makes me mad! I'm gonna make them regret ever messing with Fairy Tail!"

Hearing this, Lucy's uncertainty was instantly swept away and a sly smile found its way to her lips. Her hand clasped Master Makarov's.

"Count me in."

Master Makarov smiled.

"Welcome to Fairy Tail, Lucy."

* * *

**This chapter was much shorter than the other, but I just felt like it would be better if I cut it off here, so I apologize if I disappointed readers who like longer chapters. **

**Tell me what you think in your reviews and critiques. Honesty is the best policy, so don't be afraid to leave suggestions or point out mistakes.**

**Thanks! You guys are the best!**

**-momocandy XD**


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